The Architect

Manipulating the space-time continuum to make Starbridges is not cheap, however. An Architect does this by cannibalizing the stardrives and engines of their fleets, sacrificing ships (sometimes many ships) for the resulting Starbridge.

In order to build or destroy a Starbridge, two fleets are required, one at each end where a connection is to be made or destroyed. In order to move an existing Starbridge, three fleets are required. No fleets involved in the process may move or fire in the same turn. Starbridges are created after combat, so all fleets must survive any combat in order to successfully perform their operation.

Constructing a new Starbridge

The number of ships required, as well as the points awarded, are based on the distance between the worlds (number of hops) before the construction of the bridge itself, according to the following schedule:

If the Starbridge is successfully constructed, it can be used on the next turn, but the wormhole connection is initially very unstable. The Receiving fleet must then fly through the newly made connection, back to the original location of the Executor fleet, in order to stabilize the Starbridge and make it permanent. If this is not done (whether intentionally, accidently or due to the destruction of the Receiving fleet) then the Starbridge will collapse: this connection will not exist the following turn.

Architects are proud creatures and want their works to last forever. Any Starbridge that fails to form will not score points. Any Starbridge that collapses the turn following its creation will deduct a penalty of points equal to half of those awarded for the creation of the Starbridge.

Destroying a Starbridge

The cost of destroying a Starbridge, and the points awarded, follow the same table given above for construction. In this case the cost is based on the number of hops that will exist between the worlds after the Starbridge is destroyed.

Note that since the cost of destroying a Starbridge is based on the resulting distance between the two worlds, it is not possible to destroy a connection and leave no path at all between the two worlds.

Moving a Starbridge

The cost of moving a Starbridge, and the points awarded, are based on the number of hops the Starbridge is moved. That is, the cost is based on the number of hops between the two Receiving fleet worlds. This follows the same schedule above, although there is a new entry for moving a Starbridge only one world: this costs 5 ships and awards 50 points.

Examples

An Architect with a fleet at World 27 and a fleet at World 23 can create a Starbridge between them at a cost of 10 ships. If they initiate the operation from World 27, that fleet is the Executor fleet, and loses 10 ships in the operation; the next turn, the fleet at World 23 must fly through the newly-established connection to return to World 27.

To construct a Starbridge between World 27 and World 2, however, would cost 30 ships (those worlds are four hops apart).

To destroy the connection between World 27 and World 22 would require a fleet at each world, and would cost 10 ships, since the worlds would be two hops apart after the operation. However, to destroy the connection between World 22 and World 4 would cost 30 ships, since destroying that connection would make the worlds four hops apart.

To move the W27-W22 connection to W27-W23 would require an Executor fleet at World 27, and a Receiver fleet at each of Worlds 22 and 23. This operation would cost 5 ships, since World 22 is only one hop from World 23. To move W27-W22 to W27-W2 would cost 20 ships (three hops). Note that this is cheaper than connecting W27 to W2 directly.

Finally, note that to move W22-W23 to W22-W16 is considered moving the connection four hops, and will cost 30 ships. Strictly speaking, the number of hops between W23 and W16 is only three; but you can't move the Starbridge through itself, so you have to count the distance the longer away around, which is a distance of four hops.

Additional Points